s4/e12 When SHOULD You Skip A Run or Workout? with Coach Elisabeth

Sleep & Stress

Elisabeth Scott emphasizes the profound impact of sleep on running performance and overall well-being. She explains that consecutive nights of sleep deprivation can lead to increased negative emotions and physical symptoms, affecting decision-making and exercise response 1. Elisabeth highlights the interconnectedness of life stressors and training, noting that factors like sleep deprivation and acute stress can significantly influence one's ability to perform 2.

Sleep deprivation can affect your metabolism, your thyroid, cortisol. It can affect how you feel about things. It can affect your response to exercise.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Understanding these connections can help runners decide when to rest or push through a workout.

   

Research Insights

Research findings discussed by Elisabeth Scott reveal that habitual sleep loss, defined as less than six hours per night, negatively impacts psychological well-being and physical health 3. She explains that mental fatigue, resulting from prolonged cognitive activity, can impair physical performance, making workouts feel more challenging 4.

Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity and characterized by subjective feelings of tiredness and lack of energy.

--- Elisabeth Scott

These insights underscore the importance of adequate rest and managing mental fatigue for optimal athletic performance.